What to do with store-bought "fresh" ravioli?

[DanaB]

Hi all,

I bought some fresh ravioli last night (three cheese -- Bristol Farm's own brand). They looked similar to the Divine pasta kind -- i.e. quite nice.

However, I wasn't crazy about them when I cooked them last night (served with homemade tomato sauce, fresh basil and parmesan). The sauce wasn't the problem -- the raviolis were -- they were kind of rubbery and the cheese filling was grainy.

In the past I've stayed away from store-bought "fresh" pasta for this exact reason, but last night I was really in the mood for ravioli.

Is there anything I can do with the ones that are left in the package, other than boil them and serve them with pasta sauce? I.e., could I fry or bake them? I'd hate to waste them (it was like $7.39 for the package of around 18 raviolis, and I've only eaten 6 of them), so I thought I'd see if any of you knowledgeable hounds out there with experience with this product had any other ideas for tasty things to do with them.

Thanks!

P.S. If you have any suggestions for better options in store-bought ravioli, I'd love to hear them, too!

[icey]

you could do a "pasta al forno" or baked pasta. boil the ravioli to very aldente. add to a baking dish with bechamel, tomato sauce (perferably a meat sauce), and either parm or mozza, or both. bake until bubbly...hopefully all the wonderful bechamel and tomato sauce will make them better.
(for bechamel...make a roux from butter and flour, cook for a minute or 2, add milk, bring to a boil or simmer to thicken, add salt and nutmeg...done in about 10 minutes or less)

[gperls]

I like fried ravioli. Par cook them, then coat in egg wash, then bread crumbs. Fry in butter, dust with parmesan, serve with marinara sauce and/or melted butter. It'll hide all those defects.

[icey]

that sounds fantastic!!! i want to try that as soon as possible!

[piccola]

skewer and grill them

[DanaB]

They weren't defective; I just don't like them. I kinda knew I might not like them when I bought them. I was going on hope that prepared raviolis were better than the last time I tried, which was about 5 years ago.

[opinionatedchef]

why not get your money back where you bought them?

do you have a whole foods near you? i think the fresh ravs they carry are v good.

[MakingSense]

Boiling them in water seems to cause the cheeses to curdle - the graininess you describe. Try cooking them at a bare simmer in stock. I've had good success with this method.
Serve them in shallow bowls with a little of the stock. Whatever else you choose, which can be also be cooked in the same stock. Freshly grated cheese at the table.
Forget the tomato sauce. They changed that rule - you can serve pasta without it anytime you want!

[toodie jane]

cook them, then mash them lightly with a fork and plop into a good turkey broth-based soup with fresh winter veggies like broccoli and caulilfower. Garnish soup with fresh parmesan. Serve with polenta squares browned in butter.

[sbp]

I do this with pierogies and ravioli: boil them for just a minute to get them par-cooked, then fry them in a little oil. Then add vindaloo paste and some yogurt. Indo-polish, great combination.

[prunefeet]

Wow, I love this idea!! I want it NOW!